Submerged fluid leaks can occur naturally (due to seismic activity), be man made, the result of sunken vessels, the result of faulty materials or equipment (e.g. well blowouts) or the result of other failures. These leaks often involve toxic fluids that can adversely affect the environment. Therefore a means of collecting and directing the fluid to suitable containment in a controlled manner is very important.
Often these fluids are of a lower density than that of the surrounding water and as a result the fluid will “float” to the surface of the water body where it will disperse spreading its toxicity over large areas and thereby significantly increasing the devastating impact on the plants and animals that live in the affected ecosystem. These fluids may also disperse throughout the water column (sometimes in the form of subsea plumes) adversely affecting the ecosystem.
Another issue with sub surface leaks, from for example, a leaking oil well, pipeline, or fissure, is the possibility of hydrate formation which may inhibit the successful recovery of the leaking fluids. Hydrates are clathrates that can form in the presence of hydrocarbons (e.g. natural gas) and low temperature water under high pressure. Furthermore, there is a possibility of other byproducts (e.g. asphaltenes, solids, solids forming products, etc.) within the leaking fluid that may inhibit the conveyance of the fluid from the leak source to the surface recovery facilities simply by accumulating to the point that the conveying systems (e.g. collector, chimney or piping or other conduit systems) are partially or wholly plugged.